Interactive platform builds foundation for childhood nutrition through fun nutrition education games and activities online
Press Release – CHICAGO (September 28, 2016) Common Threads – a non-profit organization that provides hands-on cooking and nutrition education to children, families and teachers in underserved communities – is launching a new online learning tool, Common Bytes, on October 10, 2016 as part of National School Lunch week. Common Bytes is an online resource that equips families and educators across the country with the tools needed to bring nutrition education into learning environments for pre-K through eighth grade students. With one in three children in the U.S. obese or overweight, Common Bytes presents a fun and easy way for children to learn about nutrition and embrace a healthy lifestyle.
“Children are empowered to be agents of change for healthier families, schools and communities across the country through our programs. Common Bytes supports our current programming and substantially extends our reach,” said Linda Novick O’Keefe, Common Threads’ Co-founding CEO. “Now, not only can children in Common Threads programs continue to learn about nutrition, but wellness advocates and aspiring kid-chefs across the country can access our research-based tools and resources.”
How Do You Play?
Common Bytes initiates learning through recipe-driven games that take children on a journey to learn about the food they eat and the path it takes to get to their plate. The program begins by selecting a recipe and leads to an informational page about the dish. Here children can find cultural and nutritional facts, preparation and cook time and an ingredient list, as well as access to tools like a cooking timer, conversion chart and cooking how-to videos featuring professional chefs.
The next step is to embark on the recipe journey: a series of interactive games including everything from filling the cart at the grocery store to measuring ingredients. By the end of the recipe journey, children have played games covering nutrition, gardening, reading nutrition labels, healthy grocery shopping and cooking techniques, and are encouraged to make the dish at home. Children can even upload photos, write reviews, add their own favorite recipes and view a list of the journey games they have completed.
“Technology is a huge priority in our schools and so is student health and wellness. Our teachers use Common Bytes to teach nutrition in an easy, interactive way,” said Dr. Sylvia J. Diaz, Assistant Superintendent Innovation and School Choice at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “The platform and lessons allow students to interact virtually with the recipes they prepare and reinforce what they learned in class.”
Why Should Teachers Use Common Bytes?
The Common Bytes teacher account provides a convenient way for teachers to bring nutrition education into their classrooms. Through Common Bytes teachers can sort through classes, track individual students and see how their school compares to others in the district. They can teach with Common Bytes in groups or individually, as well as assign students take home lessons.
Teachers who have completed the Common Threads’ Healthy Teacher Training course will also have access to lesson plans through Common Bytes. Once certified, teachers can access Common Threads lessons by grade level and topic while viewing alignment with National Health Education Standards. They can also find extension lessons to connect to Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards as well as favorite lesson plans, download PDFs lessons and even leave feedback for Common Threads.
Common Bytes can be played on a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device with internet access, by visiting www.commonbytes.org.
